WASHINGTON (Legal Newsline) -- The Main Street Patent Coalition, along with Politico Pro, will host a discussion on patent reform and its effects on small businesses Wednesday.

The panel discussion, to be held at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., is set to begin at 8 a.m.

"The Main Street Patent Coalition represents hundreds of thousands of small businesses from across the country that are calling on Congress to pass patent reform and support jobs, economic growth and the American dream," MSPC spokesman Michael Meehan said.

"Don't let trolls close the doors on small business. The time to act is now."

The panel will feature: Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association; U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah; and U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo.

Other panelists include: Beth Provenzano, senior director for Federal Government Relations, National Retail Federation; Evan Migdail, partner at DLA Piper, on behalf of Starwood Hotels and Resorts; Benjamin Berman, deputy general counsel, KAYAK; Russ Merbeth, chief policy counsel, Intellectual Ventures; and John Vaughn, executive vice president for the Association of American Universities.

The newly-formed, non-partisan MSPC -- made up of restaurants, retailers, hotels and grocers -- is pushing for Congress to pass what it describes as "comprehensive, common sense" patent reform legislation.